The name Mantavile reached England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Mantavile family lived in Mandeville, near Valognes, Cotentin, Normandy. In Mandeville, the Norman Mantavile family were nobles who possessed a castle and vast estates. The family name Mantavile was brought to England after the Norman Conquest, when William the Conqueror gave his friends and relatives most of the land formerly owned by Anglo-Saxon aristocrats. Frequently, the Normans, such as the Mantavile family, identified themselves by reference to the estates from which they came from in Northern France.

Early Origins of the Mantavile family

The surname Mantavile was first found in Wiltshire where they were anciently granted lands by William Duke of Normandy for their assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D. Geoffrey de Mandeville (c.1100) was an important Domesday tenant-in-chief; he was granted large estates in Essex, and in ten other shires by William, and was Constable of the Tower of London.

They were granted no less than 118 Lordships after the Conquest. William's descendent Geoffrey de Mandeville (d. 1144,) was created the 1st Earl of Essex, a title which became extinct in the 12th century after the death of the 3rd Earl.

The chief seat of the Mandevilles was at Walden in Essex, but many junior lines abounded. "Jehan de Mandeville", translated as "Sir John Mandeville", was noted as the compiler of a singular book of supposed travels, written in Anglo-Norman French, published between 1357 and 1371. They were Lords of the Manor of Earl's Stoke, in Wiltshire and also were granted lands in Devon.

Early History of the Mantavile family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mantavile research.Another 205 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1357, 1357, 1371, 1189, 1670 and 1733 are included under the topic Early Mantavile History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mantavile Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, Norman French and other languages became incorporated into English throughout the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Mantavile include Mansville, Manvell, Mandeville, Magneville, Magnevilla, Manville, Mannevill, Manneville, Mandevile, Mansvile, Mansville, Mandevill, Manvill, Mansvill, Mansvil, Mandevil, Mandervil, Mandervill, Manderville, Mandavile, Mandavil, Mandavill, Mandaville, Mandavall, Mandavalle, Mandaval, Mandvill, Mandville, Mandvil and many more.

Early Notables of the Mantavile family (pre 1700)

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was "Jehan de Mandeville", better known as "Sir John Mandeville", ( fl. 1357), English knight born at St. Albans, who complied "The Travels of Sir John Mandeville," a book account of his supposed travels throughout Europe published between 1357 and 1371; William de Mandeville (d... Another 57 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Mantavile Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Mantavile family to Ireland

Some of the Mantavile family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.Another 105 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Mantavile family to the New World and Oceana

In England at this time, the uncertainty of the political and religious environment of the time caused many families to board ships for distant British colonies in the hopes of finding land and opportunity, and escaping persecution. The voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, though, and many arrived in North America sick, starved, and destitute. Those who did make it, however, were greeted with greater opportunities and freedoms that they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Early immigration records have shown some of the first Mantaviles to arrive on North American shores: Gillis Mandeville, who settled in New York in 1659; Miss Mandeville settled in Barbados in 1774; Mary Mandeville settled in Maryland in 1738. In Newfoundland, Canada, Patrick Mandavile from Clonmell, Tipperary, was married in St. John's in 1805.